Member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations should increase the speed of negotiation for, coordination of, and responses to emergency food aid releases to enhance food security in Asia.

On August 3, 2018, the Advisor to the Royal Government of Cambodia, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lao PDR, the Permanent Representative to ASEAN of Myanmar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam, the U.S. Secretary of State, and the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN met in Singapore for the Eleventh Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) Ministerial Meeting.

Red Cross Red Crescent staff and volunteers are responding to a series of disasters happening across the Asia Pacific region. In Southeast Asia, a dam collapse in Lao PDR led to severe flooding, which extending to neighbouring Cambodia, while in Myanmar, heavy seasonal rains have caused flooding in several states and regions.

In a complex and fast-changing world, we remain focused and resolute in pursuit of our goal – to provide the most appropriate, effective medicine in the harshest of environments. As well as responding to vital needs, our aid is born of a desire to show solidarity with people who are suffering, whether as a result of conflict, neglect or disease.

The most food-insecure people often live in fragile and degraded landscapes and areas prone to recurrent natural shocks and other risks.

Food Assistance for Assets (FFA) is one of WFP’s flagship initiatives aimed at addressing the most food-insecure people’s immediate food needs with cash, voucher or food transfers while also helping improve their long-term food security and resilience.

↗ International prices of wheat and maize rose in March for the third consecutive month and averaged more than 10 percent above their levels in December 2017. Prices were mainly supported by concerns over the impact of prolonged dryness in key-growing areas of the United States of America and Argentina, coupled with strong demand. International rice prices remained relatively stable.

↗ International prices of wheat and maize increased further in February, mainly supported by weather-related concerns and currency movements. Export price quotations of rice also continued to strengthen, although the increases were capped by subsiding global demand for Indica supplies.

↗ In East Africa, in the Sudan, prices of the main staples: sorghum, millet and wheat, continued to increase in February and reached record highs, underpinned by the removal of the wheat subsidies and the strong depreciation of the Sudanese Pound.

International prices of wheat and maize were generally firmer in January, supported by weather-related concerns and a weaker US dollar. Export price quotations of rice also strengthened mainly buoyed by renewed Asian demand.

In East Africa, in the Sudan, prices of the main staples: sorghum, millet and wheat, rose sharply for the third consecutive month in January and reached record highs, underpinned by the removal of wheat subsidies and the strong depreciation of the Sudanese Pound.

Drought, earthquakes, floods, typhoons, volcanoes, and civil unrest, compounded by limited government response capacity in some countries, present significant challenges to vulnerable populations in the East Asia and the Pacific (EAP) region. Between FY 2008 and FY 2017, USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) and USAID’s Office of Food for Peace (USAID/FFP) provided humanitarian assistance in response to a range of natural and complex emergencies in the region.

The benchmark US wheat price declined in October mostly because of higher supply prospects while maize quotations firmed due to rain-induced harvest delays. International rice prices strengthened in October, mainly reflecting seasonally tight Japonica and fragrant supplies.